Letter to the editor: Pope seems to follow in Christ's steps

Friday, April 5, 2013 - 12:01 am

Mona Charen, in her syndicated column, wonders if Pope Francis is for real. Why would she doubt? Because in her youth she admired religious leaders, explorers, teachers, military leaders, great writers, but it is a different day today. Today, leaders in every area of life have failed.

But why question Pope Francis of all people? Isn’t he the Vicar of Christ, the one who acts on behalf of Christ on earth? Will he be a shining example of the Son of God? He already has moved in that direction by taking public transportation to get his luggage from his hotel after he was made the Pope. He refused to ride in the secure "pope mobile", but took an open car which he later left to lay his hand of blessing on a paralyzed man.

Instead of celebrating the mass on Maundy Thursday in one of the Roman cathedrals, as previous popes have done, he will go to a local prison for youth and offer the sacrament to them. These certainly are unexpected acts of grace. But why? Perhaps he is for real, Ms. Charen.

A popular saying in recent years was WWJD? What would Jesus do? How about WWPFD? What would Pope Francis do? The original left an example to follow in his steps. He was Emmanuel, God With Us. What he did, his vicar should do.

In this critical time in history, wouldn’t it be wonderful for a man to come to his position and be all that God intended him to be. A true representative, a true Christian, a true living example of the true Christ. But wait. In our own small world, isn’t that what we are all supposed to be? The hope of this hopeless world. It is, “Christ in you; the hope of glory.”